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Just ordered a Fender American P5.


dave_bass5
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[quote name='gareth' post='307331' date='Oct 15 2008, 07:52 PM']This thread on the fender forum might help you:-

[url="http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=688741&lastpost=2008-10-1512:03:44"]http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&...8-10-1512:03:44[/url][/quote]

Thanks. look at post 6, that name seems familiar ;-)

bassmanady. They are the last rounds i had on my DD and im thinking of going back to them. Cheers.

Sean. I heard that one in 2007 as well.

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Morning all.
Just a very quick update.
The Bass just arrived and while ive only picked it up and played Crazy little thing called love at the 10 fret (thats sort of my test to get a feel of the neck width) to me the neck is fine, great in fact. I would even go so far as to say it feels a bit nicer than my 55-01 :-0.
Seems to be more compact if that makes sense.
The action seems ok, ill tweak it tonight but its certainly playable.

The only downside at the mo is the colour. Its a bit creamier that i thought it would be. Not a deal breaker though but i guess i was hoping it would be whiter, it seems more like Arctic While i suppose. Ive not had a white bass before so im not really clued up on the different whites. Looks vintage though so thats nice.
Case is very nice. Its my first ever hard case and while i doubt i will use it much its great to store to Duck Dunn in until i decide to sell it.

All this is really all based on less than a couple of mins with it though. Ill have a play on it at lunchtime at work and plug it in tonight.

Overal, my main worry about the neck not suiting was misplaced.

Edited by dave_bass5
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[quote name='bassmanady' post='311683' date='Oct 21 2008, 11:19 PM']Now you have had time with it,what do you think of the sound..and what is the B string like?[/quote]

First of let me say i think its a fantastic bass. I love the tone and the neck feels so nice. The B string sounds very even and i have no problem with it.

But......i think its going to go back. Ive tried adjusting the action as it was a tiny bit high and everything went well other than the G string. to get it close to how low i want it (and thats around 3mm at the 17th fret) it means the saddle is almost on the base plate. Not a big deal but the poles are sticking out so far they are digging in to the side of my hand. Its really bugging me.

Think im going to order a lakland DJ5 tomorrow. Different tone i know but still sometihng i will get on well with.

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The G string and B string saddles on my P5 are nearly touching the bass plate to get a really low action,and the grub srews do stick out,but that does not worry me...if its just that you could take them out and put shorter ones in,or grind the ends down,bit trickier doing that tho,
But it sounds like there is a DJ5 on the way :)

Edited by bassmanady
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[quote name='bassmanady' post='311887' date='Oct 22 2008, 10:56 AM']The G string and B string on my P5 are nearly touching the bass plate to get a really low action,and the grub srews do stick out,but that does not worry me...if its just that you could take them out and put shorter ones in,or grind the ends down,bit trickier doing that tho,
But it sounds like there is a DJ5 on the way :)[/quote]


Im very confused at the moment.
I really want to keep the P5 as i need that P tone. I really like the DJ5 but its a Jazz and while i know ill get no with it ill still not have a P tone in a 5 string.
Im now thinking ill wait until monday to order the DJ. Ill take the P5 to the gig on Sat and see how it sounds through a full system and if can cheaply fix my problem ill maybe keep it.
Ill look a bit silly as ill keep the wrappers on the keys and sticker on the PG but i have to do that if im thinking of returning it. If i can sort out the bridge before then so much the better.
If i order the DJ today it wont be here until monday anyway. If i order it on Monday ill get it before the next gig.

Do you know how easy it is to change these grub screws and/or where ot get smaller ones? Im rubbish at this sort of thing. Ive been told a shim might also work but my A saddle is quite high already and i would rather not have to do this on a new bass.

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If this bass is really the one for you then grub screws shouldn't be such a problem that you have to get rid of the bass! Chandlers, the Bass Gallery even Denmark Street should be able to fix this problem. Put some gaffer over the protruding screws to protect your hand until you can get to a repair man.

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[quote name='chris_b' post='311916' date='Oct 22 2008, 11:32 AM']If this bass is really the one for you then grub screws shouldn't be such a problem that you have to get rid of the bass! Chandlers, the Bass Gallery even Denmark Street should be able to fix this problem. Put some gaffer over the protruding screws to protect your hand until you can get to a repair man.[/quote]


I wouldn't say this is THE one, just that its very nice and plays well. Im pretty sure a DJ5 will also be just as good, but of course its a different tone.
If it turns out that my bass is the same as others then at least i know ill either have to live with it or get rid of it. Sorting it might be easy but i really dont want to pay even more money on top of what I have just spent. I can afford it but i shouldn't have to do it. A few £ i dont mind but im not going to pay for a set up or work done on a brand new bass.

Yes, i can actually live with the problem and if this is the norm then maybe i will. Ill have another go tonight.

What worries me also is that while the saddle needs to be very low i might in the future have to go even lower if i change string gauge. And i might not be able to.

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Ive just noticed how high the poles are on the G saddle.
This was taken before i made any adjustments and already you can see them sticking out.
Im sure this isnt right is it? I wonder if they have started to unscrew. They were the stiffest pair out o fall 5 saddles.

Edited by dave_bass5
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Dave, if the grub screws are protruding out that far, they aren't in contact with the base of the bridge at all. If you give them a gentle turn clockwise, you'll feel where they start to actually do something. I had a similar problem with my American Precision. Also, have you checked the neck? Fenders often arrive with too much relief. To my mind, a Precision/Jazz neck needs to be almost straight, with the smallest bit of relief towards the tuner end. The tool they supply the bass with is excellent. Just pop it into the recess at the base of the neck & give it a quarter turn clockwise :)

Rich.

Edited by OutToPlayJazz
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Rich.
I have adjusted the relief and its pretty good. I guess i should have another look tonight. I must admit i didnt think of looking at the bottom of them to see if they were in contact with the base.
I remember now that the saddle was quite hard to adjust compared to the others. Maybe ill need to fix that. I assume they just screw back in?
I can get the action more or less down to how i want it but its quite a bit lower than the others and thats what alarmed me.

Joe. No, i dont have any pics of it now but ill take one tonight once ive had another look at the bridge. I raised the G back up a bit so as to not have the poles sticking out too much.

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hi Dave,my MIA 62 P bass g string saddle screws stick out about twice as far as yours & the saddle is a gnats cock hair off touching the base plate but its never bothered me & i've never caught my hand on it-no matter how carried away(pissed) i get.
+ nothing can beat that P sound IMO,it just drives a song along better than anything i've ever heard.

+ don't let the Fender bashers put you off-if you like it keep it.

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Thnaks for the post.
my porblem is i play with a pick 99% of the time. I rest the side of my hand on the bridge. This means that the outside of my little finger is catching on the grub scew. A lot.
Im going to try and sort something out as i do want to keep it.

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good man.
i've not seen a 5 string but have had a close up with a new 2008 4 string & i am well impressed.they seem even better built than the old models.just wish i could afford one,especially the colour scheme of yours-just a gorgeous bass.
hope you get it sorted mate.

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[quote name='artisan' post='312232' date='Oct 22 2008, 04:04 PM']good man.
i've not seen a 5 string but have had a close up with a new 2008 4 string & i am well impressed.they seem even better built than the old models.just wish i could afford one,especially the colour scheme of yours-just a gorgeous bass.
hope you get it sorted mate.[/quote]

Indeed they are fantastic. Finish seems perfect both no the body and neck. If anytihng i would say its just my style of playing that is causing the issue. If i played finger style i wouldn't be bothered about that grub screw.
Mind you, that DJ5 in white looks the dogs nuts. :-(

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[quote name='The Burpster' post='312425' date='Oct 22 2008, 07:38 PM']DB5 getting new grubbies is a piece of pish if you want to keep it.... come back to me ai'll let ayou a know a supplier where you can get them quickly and in different lengths.....

this is of course academic if you prefer the DJ5, and I cant help you with that !



:)[/quote]

Thanks for the offer. Yes, i do want to keep it (i also want the DJ5 ;-) so if you could give em a supplier of these little devils that would be great.

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Jumped the gun a bit and just ordered a DJ5 in White form Thomanns.
Im pretty sure i'll get on better with it than the P5. Had a very long play last night . Went back and forward between my 55-01 and while the neck dimensions and shape feel better on the P5 there is something more familiar about the flatter Lakland neck. Could be the strings or anything really but it was enough for me to think i really need to try the DJ5 as soon as i can to get this all cleared up.
As ive pointed out already i tend to play with my hand resting on the bridge and the Lakland bridges on my other basses seem a lot nice to rest on.
Silly i know but if i dont feel comfortable then i wont be able to get in to it much.

Yeah, some people are never happy.

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Just to conclude this thread.
Ive just cancelled the DJ5. If it turns up ill reject it. I came to the conclusion that while it might play better the whole point of this was to keep the P tone so im keeping hold of the P5. Still not 100% with the set up but its getting there.
Im getting to like the 34" neck. It almost feels like a 4 string now. Not as wide as the 55-01.
Just wished it had block inlays :-)

Cheers for all the support. For now im happy.

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